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Young Voices Take Over KFAI

August 11, 2014

Tuesday, August 12 is International Youth Day, as declared by the United Nations to increase the quality and quantity of opportunities available to young people for full, effective and constructive participation in society.

This summer, KFAI and local partner organizations Urban 4-H and Youth CARE, worked to create the Fresh Air Institute – A Young Voices Collaboration.

Through the Fresh Air Institute, both these partner organizations found common purpose with KFAI. We welcomed participants to our studios and immediately put them in front of microphones so they could record and listen to their own voices. They adopted DJ names and split up into three and four person teams to produce programs that combine music and conversation for a diverse audience.

The Fresh Air Institute will present four hours of youth-guided and hosted programming on KFAI, starting at 10 am.

Three teams participated. One from Youth CARE’s Community Service Stars program spawned three different shows – Gem Airs, Asian Sky and Pretty Music.

Another Youth CARE group from McDonough Homes in St. Paul created shows titled CGMD, Fountain of Youth and Sunrise.

The Kid Power group from Urban 4H brought three experienced performers into the project to create shows under the title Sistah Magic. DJ’s VV, K. Shambles and R. Strange have also performed as Forever Young at the Ramsey County Fair and Cinco de Mayo.

Youth CARE serves a diverse population arranged along the following ratios – 34% African American, 21% Asian American, 15% Native American, 12% European American, 4% Chicano / Latino and 3% African. Youth CARE seeks to give young people opportunities to develop 21st Century Skills, challenge themselves and their peers to be effective leaders, and build a sense of pride in who they are.

Urban 4-H is part of the Center for Youth Development and University of Minnesota Extension. They want to build sustainable programs that meet the unique needs of urban youth.